John Castle Photo

Alumni Spotlight: John Castle

John Castle, Marion High School Class of 1959, has a diverse portfolio of personal and professional endeavors, and credits his early education in Marion as a key to his success.

After graduation from Marion High School, Castle received his bachelor’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his MBA as a Baker Scholar with High Distinction from Harvard and four Honorary Doctorate degrees.

When Castle attended MISD, the school district scored in the top 95-99% in the nation on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, a standardized achievement test for students. According to Castle, the district also had the lowest cost-per-student of any city in the state of Iowa. The education provided in Marion was outstanding, and frugally run.

In a phone interview, Castle shared that the education he received from Marion prepared him for a lifetime of success. He described a “winning attitude” that was pervasive in the school through academics including the “Whiz Kids” competitions, varsity football, band and other school activities. He stated further that “the winning attitude established with me in Marion, Iowa is something I have passed along to my sons.” The Whiz Kids were second in the state during the year that Castle served as captain.

John K. Castle is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Castle Harlan, Inc., a private equity firm which peaked at 43,000 employees, as well as Branford Castle, Inc., a private merchant bank.

During his business career, John has owned or controlled companies such as Delaware Management, the seventh largest independent money manager in the United States; Ethan Allen, the furniture manufacturer and retailer; Ames True Temper, the nation’s leading manufacturer of longhandle tools; restaurant chains such as The Morton’s Steakhouses and Sealed Air Corporation which makes the ubiquitous plastic bubble packaging material. John is a Life Member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

Prior to forming Castle Harlan in 1986 and Branford Castle Inc., he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette, Inc., one of Wall Street’s largest investment banks. He also served as a director of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S.

Starting in 1969, as Chairman of DLJ’s Merchant Banking and Sprout Group, Castle was one of the founders of the institutionalization of the private equity business utilizing limited partnerships as a vehicle for pension funds and other large capital sources to invest.

In his free time Castle enjoys adventure. He has landed in a small plane on both the North and South Poles, trekked to the base of Mount Everest in Nepal, and led his Hinckley sailboat on a circumnavigation of the Earth. Castle recreated the entire Lewis & Clark water expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean in a 15-ft dinghy. He then completed the river trip across the U.S. in his small inflatable going from New York Harbor to St. Louis (a total of 5,000 miles).

John has committed a substantial portion of his time to public service over the past forty years. Amongst other honors, he has been elected a life member trustee of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has served as a Director of the MIT Investment Management Company. He has also served for twenty-two years as a Trustee of New York Medical College, including eleven of those years as Chairman of the Board.

In addition, Castle supports charitable organizations in his childhood hometown, including the Marion Foundation. He served as Event Sponsor for the 2020 Marion Foundation Golf Classic and has supported many local charities including the Marion Historical Society. When Harvey Sollberger decided to write an original piece for 24 flutes to celebrate his 80th birthday, John funded the composition as well as the first performance which was held in New York City. Castle is an inductee of the Marion Independent School Foundation Hall of Fame.